‘Now at peace’: Buttrose family mourns a loss

Sydney’s famous Buttrose family is in mourning after the passing of one of its own.

The family of Australian media identity Ita Buttrose is mourning the loss of one of its own.

Elizabeth Buttrose — sister-in-law to Ita and mother to Lizzie and Richard — passed peacefully at a Sydney Eastern Suburbs care facility on Friday.

She died a week short of her 79th birthday, with her funeral to be held on her actual birth date of October 1.

“My sister-in-law endured a long illness and she is now at peace,” Ita Buttrose told The Daily Telegraph.

The late Elizabeth and Will Buttrose.

“She was loved by all and we have wonderful memories from when we were younger.”

Elizabeth – born Robyn Elizabeth – suffered multiple strokes more than a decade ago that left her with major health problems.

Husband William was a high-profile banking figure, having worked as director and chief Economist at the Macquarie Bank, Lloyds Bank and NatWest.

He was a respected economics commentator on Nine’s Today show.

He was 62 when he died after a two-year battle with cancer in 2006 and left his estate to his wife.

The pair met at a party in Rose Bay when they were aged in their 20s that they both gatecrashed.

The couple were parents to Richard, sociate Lizzie and Evie, who works as a director at law firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth.

The late Elizabeth and Will Buttrose.

Ita Buttrose pictured in North Sydney. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Son Richard is now a lawyer himself after spending nine years in prison after his arrest for supplying cocaine to Sydney’s celebrity and social set.

“My mum was one of a kind,” Richard said.

“She did things her own way, she marched to the beat of her own drum and she leaves us with a lifetime of cherished memories. She will be missed.”

Richard appeared as a contestant on reality show SAS Australia in 2022 alongside the likes of Simone Holtznagel, Barry Hall, Geoff Huegill, Anna Heinrich, Melissa Wu and Darius Boyd.
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